"Speaking" Korean without really speaking Korean, as a tourist in South Korea
I'm thinking of visiting South Korea as a tourist, and I'm wondering if some preparations short of a full on study of the language will help. In particular, I'm wondering about learning Hangul, and the pronunciation of Korean words.
In which contexts is knowing only English a disadvantage?
How much written information is available in English compared to Korean, and how much proficiency do Korean people, especially in service industries, have in English?
Is learning Hangul by itself useful?
Currently, I understand that Hangul is used for both native Korean words, and foreign words, unlike what happens in Japanese where one script (katakana) is generally used for European words, and other scripts (kanji, hiragana) are generally used for native Japanese words.
Is it easy for someone unfamiliar with Korean to determine which Korean words are words from English, and which ones aren't?
Also, how easy is it to go from a Korean word of English origin to the corresponding English word?
Is getting the hang of pronouncing and hearing Korean words useful?
Are there any sounds that are difficult for native speakers of English to pronounce?
Likewise, are there any combinations of syllables that aren't inherently difficult, but are very rare in English, leading to native speakers of English to mispronounce them, analogous to an English-speaker pronouncing "karaoke" more like "carry-oh-key"?
Best Answer
I think jpatokal gave excellent advice - considering how much you asked! That's a lot of motivation for a mere tourist! May I add (I live in Korea):
When you try to communicate in English, be patient: they may understand you, but they will need their time to respond to you if they are not very fluent.
Have a pen and paper ready, or type on your smartphone. People are usually better at understanding a foreign language in written rather than oral form. This is advice a Japanese guy gave me before I visited Japan. That said...
Koreans may instead tell you to speak to their smartphone, which will then translate spoken English into Korean. Again, be patient.
I can tell you that google translate is very, very bad with Korean sentences. (Individual words are ok). Babel XL is a bit better, but in general most output text will be nonsense.
Have fun!
Pictures about ""Speaking" Korean without really speaking Korean, as a tourist in South Korea"
Can I work in Korea without speaking Korean?
It will definitely be more difficult to find a job without mastering some Korean language\u2026 Communication within Korean companies but also foreign companies is done in Korean. It is therefore strongly recommended that you take Korean lessons before you leave for South Korea.Should I learn Korean before going to South Korea?
Speaking Korean will change your view of the country As a result, learning the basics before you come to Korea gives you a much better chance of actually using the basics than if you learn them later on. If you want to learn Korean to a high level, then speaking Korean with Korean friends is a must.Does South Korea welcome foreigners?
As described in the new national plan for immigration policy, the government claims a world-class South Korea welcoming of foreigners. However, critics argue that the government's goals and policies are fundamentally discriminatory.Is it rude to make eye contact in South Korea?
Eye Contact: During a discussion or friendly conversation, make full eye contact with the person you are talking to. Avoid direct eye contact if you are scolded/rebuked by someone older or of a higher status than you. Some Koreans may also avoid eye contact with their superiors on a regular basis.Koreans REACT to White Guy Speaking Fluent Korean at a Street Market in Korea
More answers regarding "Speaking" Korean without really speaking Korean, as a tourist in South Korea
Answer 2
Is it easy to learn?
No, it is not easy. Korean kids struggle all the way until they get into university. You stand no chance ;-)
Learning the alphabet is, in fact, quite easy. Reading anything of value is quite so very hard. In fact if you wanted to read any respectable newspaper, you better learn Korean and Chinese. Majority of fancy words are borrowed, most either from Chinese or English, and words of Chinese origin don't quite follow same rules as native Korean words when it comes to compound noun composition or even pronunciation and grammar. Most place names can be written in Hanja, which implies that aspect of pronunciation.
Will you need Korean?
Unfortunately, it's quite a lot of hit-and-miss; For example:
- intercity buses are awesome in Korea; a clerk at the bus terminal in Seoul spoke enough English and understood me fine, and I suppose if they didn't, they'd find a colleague who would; Anyhow I could get a ticket to some town of interest. But buying a return ticket in that town was quite a hurdle, there was only one clerk, who only spoke Korean. Neither did they accept credit cards.
- subway signage is bilingual, but just try to comprehend a bus route at a bus stop. Refer to http://www.ideacode.eu/seoul-glimpse-into-the-public-transportation photo with route 603.
What can you do in practice?
Read up on customs and learn a few basic phrases, so that even if you cannot communicate, you would be polite and score points for having tried. It is really appreciated.
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